Aspartame Alert

Artificial sweeteners are in over 6000 products worldwide and you may not even realize you or your children are eating them. Read on… I thought I was staying clear of Aspartame but then I realized it was in my “Oh, so natural looking” Ricola Cough Drops! - Excuse me Monsanto (the manufacturer of Aspartame), I’ll drink my tea with honey and you can keep your Rumsfeld Disease causing artificial sweeteners! And dear Ricola, I can't believe you tricked me into believing I was buying a clean and natural Swiss product! Your packaging looked so healthy and I trusted you for years. I’ll never buy your products again!!! I’ll find alternative products from smaller companies who care. I also discovered that Aspartame was in my children’s vitamins! I returned both the vitamins and the cough drops to Costco and got my money back - Ha! I’m not letting those toxic buggers get to me and especially my children.

Aspartame is not only used in food, per se, but is also used in pharmaceutical products. Frequently it is not listed on the outside of the package but in the small print on the slip of paper inside the package. If you find a product you bought contains this sweet poison return it to the store and insist on getting your money back or a substitute that does not contain aspartame. Don’t be afraid to make a big fuss while you’re at it. Hopefully the store will pass your emotional message on to the manufacturer. The louder we get the sooner they’ll start listening and knowing we are smartening up and want healthier products.

I do believe that Aspartame will one day be illegal. They’re just waiting for the sound proof after many of us have been seriously affected by it. There are already many lawsuits against Monsanto. Play it SAFE! … STUDY Labels, AVOID Toxins, FIND Safe Products, EAT Whole Healthy Foods. To avoid future illnesses, seizures, Parkinson’s disease, brain tumors and the over 90 unhealthy symptoms listed below that could be making you unhappy, feeling depressed and eventually kill you, I have included information which will help you and your children stay away from Aspartame and even detox if needed. The easiest rule to remember is to stay away from products whose labels say “FAT FREE” and “SUGAR FREE”. They most likely have artificial sweeteners in them. Artificial sweeteners are given beautiful cover up names that sound healthy and honest such as Nutrasweet - sounds heavenly right? It’s hell, don’t buy it!… In my next blog I will talk about what sweetener alternatives are healthy choices. Moms and Dads, we need to stick together and share this info with our friends and family. We need to know and clearly understand what we are eating and especially what our children are eating. More and more children are getting diagnosed with unexplainable migraines, ADD, ADHD and even new and strange things that doctors can’t figure out such as a phantom brain tumor, or pseudotumor cerebri. Diagnosed during a routine eye exam, Lauren Ashley is one of a fast-growing number of mostly adolescents and some younger children who are being diagnosed with this puzzling and complex condition that appears to be -- but is not -- a tumor.

The symptoms are characterized by chronically increased pressure in the head and include severe headaches, dizziness and, in the most debilitating cases, loss of eyesight. With a frightening number of children -- 80 last year alone -- diagnosed at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, the facility recently launched the first clinic in the country dedicated to treating pseudotumors in children. Diagnoses of pseudotumor cerebri have increased dramatically in recent years, says Dr. E. Steve Roach, chief of neurology and vice chairman of pediatrics at Nationwide Children's and professor of pediatrics and neurology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. If this were my child, the first thing I would do is go through my cupboards with a magnifying glass and read the tiny ingredients on all the labels, trash everything that has toxins and start feeding my children tons of raw veggies and good home-made foods. Then I would start teaching my children what the bad ingredients are, where they hide, why they are bad and how to avoid them. One evening I was saying good night to my son Benjamin and he told me he had a head ache. Our children eat the worst things when we’re not around! Ben skipped lunch that day and drank some poisoned iced tea with “Natural Flavors” – natural flavors are not safe! The FDA allows manufacturers to use flavor enhancing ingredients that have the same ingredient in MSG – Free Glutamates. And the manufacturers are using them to make their products taste better on the shelf longer. Natural flavors are in almost everything. Tell me why do they need to put natural flavors in apple juice? I buy all natural organic apple cider at whole foods and my kids love it. Look for beverages and food products without natural flavors if the manufacturer does not explain what’s in them. You can also call the company to ask. Like Aspartame, we need to be avoiding MSG contaminated ingredients. These excitotoxins cause many of the same symptoms as Aspartame. I get severe migraines from ingredients with MSG, so I have to avoid even half and half creamer which contain Dextrose and or Carrageenan (Hidden MSG ingredients). MSG is one of the three excitotoxins that hides in Natural Flavors. If a food manufacturer is not considerate enough to mention what they put in their natural flavors, you should assume that it has free glutamates (the ingredient in MSG) which is the amino acid that causes so many bad symptoms in many MSG sensitive people.

The MSG/Natural Flavor makes it taste better and makes it addictive which increases sales. There is one exceptional food company that I have noticed is considerate and conscious about their ingredients, the Paul Newman Brand. God bless Paul Newman, his labels explain all the ingredients and leave no mysteries. This is a respectable and honest food company. They should be awarded “The cleanest and most honest labels of the year award. This company is a non-profit company which donates all its profits to charities. We need more food companies like this! Ben continued to tell me the other toxins he consumed that day…he ate two “Buy one get one FREE” one dollar packaged honey cinnamon rolls. “Benjamin!” I told him, “You get what you pay for! You buy crap – you feel like crap”. Ben did mention that he checked out the label and noticed a long list of ingredients that he was skeptical of. Yes! My son is at least starting to pay attention to the labels like I taught him! I told my sons that the longer the ingredient list the more likely it is full of poisons. Most kids would not think about what they ate that day in relation to how they feel afterward.

I am teaching my children to pay attention to how they feel after they eat certain foods. And they should know that many times it can take 24 to 48 hours to show signs of something that did not go over well. So a migraine can be from something they ate 1 or 2 days before. The old saying is quite true, “We are definitely what we EAT!” And now-a-days this is becoming a much more eye opening truth with how toxic our food has become! Knowledge is Power!Please read the facts below and share them with the ones you love. Sometimes I even share them with complete strangers in the grocery store or I make copies to share with my students in my Zumba class. Whatever feels right – just do it. I feel like a food evangelist!!! I like to keep this info handy so I can review it occasionally and refer to it when I forget certain specific facts that I want to share with friends and family. I also keep a binder of important information and sometimes if I know I will often refer to them I’ll tape them to the insides of my kitchen cabinets so they are always there when I need them – especially in my kitchen where I prepare my sacred meals and talk with my friends and family about the medicinal and nutritional values of food.

Dangers in aspartame

Aspartame, the main ingredient in Equal and NutraSweet, is responsible for the most serious cases of poisoning, because the body actually digests it. Aspartame should be avoided by most women, but particularly in those with neuropsychiatric concerns. Recent studies in Europe show that aspartame use can result in an accumulation of formaldehyde in the brain, which can damage your central nervous system and immune system and cause genetic trauma. The FDA admits this is true, but claims the amount is low enough in most that it shouldn’t raise concern.

I think any amount of formaldehyde in your brain is too much. Aspartame has had the most complaints of any food additive available to the public. It’s been linked with MS, lupus, fibromyalgia and other central nervous disorders. Possible side effects of aspartame include headaches, migraines, panic attacks, dizziness, irritability, nausea, intestinal discomfort, skin rash, and nervousness. Some researchers have linked aspartame with depression and manic episodes. It may also contribute to male infertility. There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption. It seems surreal, but true. How can one chemical create such chaos? Aspartame dissolves into solution and can therefore travel throughout the body and deposit within any tissue. The body digests aspartame unlike saccharin, which does not break down within humans.

The multitude of aspartame side effects are indicative to your genetic individuality and physical weaknesses. It is important to put two and two together, nonetheless, and identify which side effects aspartame is creating within you. Aspartame Side Effects The components of aspartame can lead to a number of health problems, as you have read. Side effects can occur gradually, can be immediate, or can be acute reactions. According to Lendon Smith, M.D. there is an enormous population suffering from side effects associated with aspartame, yet have no idea why drugs, supplements and herbs don’t relieve their symptoms. Then, there are users who don’t ‘appear’ to suffer immediate reactions at all. Even these individuals are susceptible to the long-term damage caused by excitatory amino acids, phenylalanine, methanol, and DKP. Adverse reactions and side effects of aspartame include:Eye blindness in one or both eyes decreased vision and/or other eye problems such as: blurring, bright flashes, squiggly lines, tunnel vision, decreased night vision pain in one or both eyes decreased tears trouble with contact lenses bulging eyes Ear tinnitus - ringing or buzzing sound severe intolerance of noise marked hearing impairment Neurologic epileptic seizures headaches, migraines and (some severe) dizziness, unsteadiness, both confusion, memory loss, both severe drowsiness and sleepiness paresthesia or numbness of the limbs severe slurring of speech severe hyperactivity and restless legs atypical facial pain severe tremors Psychological/Psychiatric severe depression irritability aggression anxiety personality changes insomnia phobias Chest palpitations, tachycardia shortness of breath recent high blood pressure Gastrointestinal nausea diarrhea, sometimes with blood in stools abdominal pain pain when swallowing Skin and Allergies itching without a rash lip and mouth reactions hives aggravated respiratory allergies such as asthma Endocrine and Metabolic loss of control of diabetes menstrual changes marked thinning or loss of hair marked weight loss gradual weight gain aggravated low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) severe PMS Other frequency of voiding and burning during urination excessive thirst, fluid retention, leg swelling, and bloating increased susceptibility to infection Additional Symptoms of Aspartame Toxicity include the most critical symptoms of all death irreversible brain damage birth defects, including mental retardation peptic ulcers aspartame addiction and increased craving for sweets hyperactivity in children severe depression aggressive behavior suicidal tendencies Aspartame may trigger, mimic, or cause the following illnesses: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Epstein-Barr Post-Polio Syndrome Lyme Disease Grave’s Disease Meniere’s Disease Alzheimer’s Disease ALS Epilepsy Multiple Sclerosis (MS) EMS Hypothyroidism Mercury sensitivity from Amalgam fillings Fibromyalgia Lupus non-Hodgkins Lymphoma Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) These are not allergies or sensitivities, but diseases and disease syndromes. Aspartame poisoning is commonly misdiagnosed because aspartame symptoms mock textbook ‘disease’ symptoms, such as Grave’s Disease.Aspartame changes the ratio of amino acids in the blood, blocking or lowering the levels of serotonin, tyrosine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and adrenaline. Therefore, it is typical that aspartame symptoms cannot be detected in lab tests and on x-rays. Textbook disorders and diseases may actually be a toxic load as a result of aspartame poisoning. Ever gone to the doctor with real, physical symptoms, but he/she can’t find the cause? Well, it’s probably your diet, your environment, or both.

Aspartame is the common denominator for over 92 different health symptoms at the root of modern disease. The Aspartame Detoxification Program demonstrates the most effective way to reverse disease symptoms is removing the underlying cause - aspartame. According to Dr Janet Hull, author of Sweet Poison, she councils aspartame victims worldwide and has witnessed nine out of 10 clients restore their health by following the Aspartame Detoxification Program. Begin with detoxifying your body of all residual chemical toxins from aspartame's chemical make up of phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol and their toxic by-products, and see if any adverse health symptoms remain. Try the Aspartame Detoxification Program, and within 30 days your symptoms should disappear. DETOX Steps: 1. Remove all sugar-free products with aspartame from your diet. 2. Learn to 'read' your body. Begin recording any health changes. 3. Get a hair analysis. 4. Be happy with yourself. 5. Detoxify. 6. Restore depleted nutrients. 7. Exercise and get plenty of rest. 8. Eat 75% raw foods at every meal. 9. Drink water, water, water. 10. Get control of your life. Here is a Ten Step Program to help protect your health and the health of those you love from being seduced by the sugar-free diet craze. Wishing you good health. What can you do about aspartame side effects?Set an example by changing your diet.

Tell everyone you know.

Talk to the schools and day care centers. Offer to speak at parent-teachers meetings.

Contact your local, state, and Federal government representatives.

If you see someone with a diet drink, ask if they have had any of the typical aspartame side effects.

Spread the word at your work.

Distribute the Aspartame Consumer Safety Network and Pilot's Hotline

Tell your doctor about the scientific research available proving the negative side effects of aspartame.

Register a complaint with the FDA, the FAA, the NutraSweet Company about aspartame poisoning.

Return all food products with aspartame, opened or unopened, to your grocer. Tell him/her the products make you sick. The grocer can return them to the manufacturer for a store refund. The manufacturer should get the message. So, will the grocer.

Spread the word on computer networks.

Publish articles in newsletters at your church, place of work, or neighborhood association.

Set a personal example for health and wellness.

Aspartame Products Aspartame is a sugar substitute widely used in sugar-free drinks, candies and desserts and in tabletop sweeteners. It is made of two amino acids - aspartic acid and phenylalanine - and breaks down into these two components and methanol upon digestion. Aspartame has been controversial since its approval as a food additive by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1981. The FDA maintains that aspartame is one of the most thoroughly studied food additives the agency has ever approved and is safe. However, some consumers have reported symptoms ranging from headaches to gastrointestinal problems from aspartame. Aspartame is marketed under the names Equal® and Nutrasweet®. Some children’s sugar-free snacks andbeverages may contain aspartame. It is now estimated that over 6,000 food and drink products worldwide containing this popular artificial sweetener. You might be surprised to learn about some of the foods you consume that contain aspartame. Besides the obvious products like diet sodas, there are many brands of chewing gum that contain aspartame. Most non-fat diet foods contain an amount of aspartame and the same goes for most sugar-free candy. Following is a general list of products that usually contain aspartame. Specific brand names are left out. Again, you just might be surprised:

Notice: The information, programs, recommendations and/or products on this site are not intended to replace the expert advice of a medical practitioner and are not meant to treat diseases of any kind. It is advised to consult a physician regarding any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition. Users of all this content assume all risk. Get Well America, Lisa Leleu Studios, Inc, its owners or any related parties assume no liability of any kind.